


One, Maybe Two Ways Out

by bristow



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Shore Leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 13:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bristow/pseuds/bristow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alien hostiles & a cranky CMO. Shore leave has never been this fun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One, Maybe Two Ways Out

"So this kinda thing happens all the time?" Carol peered over the rock she was kneeling behind, to where the welcoming party still stood, weapons aimed in their direction.

"Sweetheart, this is everyday life with Jim Kirk as our Captain!" McCoy shook his head, "Five years in space..."

"Well now what do we do?" Carol sat back down and glared at McCoy like he was the very bane of her existence.

"Don't look at me," he retorted, "I'm a doctor not a magician! I just can't will them to disappear, as much as I'd like to."

"Why did you have to drag me out here? And with no phasers or communicators."

"Drag you? Doctor Marcus, I'm not in the habit of dragging anybody anywhere. And as for the communicators, you can blame Spock for that. The damn hobgoblin. Wouldn't work this far out he said, out of range, or some crap like that. Anyway, it was you that wanted to go on this damn nature walk. I'm a doctor, not a-"

"Yes, yes. Doctor not a walker, I know I know. And I didn't ask you on this little nature walk, Doctor McCoy. For your information you asked me if you could come along, not the other way around. And why are you smiling at me like that? I hate it when you smile at me like that!"

"Why, it's perfectly natural to smile at somebody isn't it? And for your information, Doctor Marcus, I was going to say tour guide, not walker. I happen to be a damn fine walker!"

"Really?" Carol asked, smiling slightly. McCoy looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"I can see by the expression on your face that you don't believe me. Trust me, when you've known Jim Kirk for as long as I have, you'll have done your fair share of walking. And running, mostly after. And why are you smiling at me like that?"

"It's perfectly natural, isn't it?" She replied. He rolled his eyes again and moved slightly to get a better look at the hostiles blocking their way.

"Women."

"How long do we have to wait here?" McCoy shrugged.

"There's two ways out, one's that way," he pointed ahead of him to where the natives lay in wait.

"Are you kidding me?" Carol demanded, "Out there, with them? I think I'd rather wait here till that lot move, thank you very much. You said there were two ways?" McCoy looked at Carol.

"You're not going to like it." Carol stared at McCoy like he'd completely lost his mind.

"You mean..." He nodded, a grim look on his face.

"I swear if that man gets me killed."

"Not if I get to him first!"

"Hey, you're the one who agreed with the man! Rule number one: never agree with a Vulcan. It'll only get you killed! What was I thinking anyway, coming out here with no communicator?"

"Why did you come anyway?" McCoy glanced at Carol and shrugged before looking away again.

"Damn Vulcan." Carol smiled as she got out of her sitting position and sat on her to knees next to McCoy, getting a better look at their way out.

"So I suppose there's no possibility of us just waiting here, is there?"

"They're not just going to wait patiently for us to come on out. They know this is our only way out, the only one we'll be willing to take anyway. They know deep down we're just a bunch of cowards. Sooner or later, they'll come in. And I mean sooner rather than later." Carol looked at McCoy.

"Are we? A bunch of cowards I mean?" He met Carol's gaze.

"Are we? I know I am." Carol sighed and nodded.

"Let's go." McCoy raised his eyebrows.

"Really? You want to-"

"Well, you said that sooner rather than later-"

"I know what I said, dammit! I said it didn't I. Some shore leave this is. I'll never hear the end of this one. On the count of three, we'll get up. You grab my hand-"

"What?"

"Listen sweetheart," McCoy said swiveling round to face Carol, "This is no time to suddenly become shy. You grab my hand and hold on tight. It's our best chance of staying together and getting out of this thing in one piece. Right?"

"Right." Carol said nodding, "Oh Hell."

"You said it. On the count of three. One," Carol nodded again and grabbed McCoy's hand, "Two. Three!" They jumped up and ran, just as the natives let off a terrible cry and released their barrage of various weapons, all aimed at their heads.

"Have you done this before?" Carol shouted to McCoy's back, tightening her grip on his hand and grabbing her head with the other, just in time as a dart went shushing overhead.

"In a manner of speaking!" He shouted back.

"What?"

"Jump!" Carol let out a scream as she and McCoy jumped off the cliff and into the dark waters below. They hit the water hard, Carol's instincts kicking in as she started thrashing and pushing herself toward the surface. She broke through, gasping for breath, as she thrashed her arms around to stay afloat. She spat out the bitter taste of the water, looking around her for any sign of McCoy.

"Doctor McCoy?" She called around a mouthful of water. She kicked her legs as she turned slowly around, careful not to overbalance herself as she frantically searched. "McCoy?" Nothing. "McCoy?" She yelled louder, a sinking feeling settling into her stomach, "Shit, Leonard!"

"Dammit woman, no need to yell so loud!" She spun around as fast as she could, dunking her under the water. She pushed herself back up, spitting more water out. She pushed herself towards Bones, who was spitting water out of his own mouth, trying to stay afloat with a thoroughly disgusted look on his face.

"I thought I'd lost you!" She through her arms around his neck, pushing him backwards and nearly under, causing McCoy to grab her in an attempt to stay above water. "Don't ever do that to me again." Carol said into his neck, shivering slightly. He didn't move for a minute, before patting her back awkwardly a few times.

"I'll try my best, Carol." She laughed softly, untangling herself from him. She grabbed his arms to stay afloat. "Are you ok?" He asked, looking into her eyes. She nodded.

"I'll be ok. You called me Carol."

"You called me Leonard first." Carol laughed again, tightening her grip as she tread water to stay afloat.

"I like it. Leonard. It sounds right."

"Well that's a good thing, cause it's my name. Now if you've had enough nature, let's get the devil out of this water." Carol smiled and nodded.

"Sounds like a plan, Leonard."


End file.
